Game guide · LCHFY
Know the goal in Old Maid
Take a moment to check the current turn. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move. The queen of diamonds is removed from a standard deck, leaving 51 cards. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values.
One thing to notice as you play
Read the position before choosing your next action. On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand. The game area remains available above the explanation.
The objective of a round
Begin with the basic rule, then follow the result of your action. Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
From the start of a round
- The queen of diamonds is removed from a standard deck, leaving 51 cards.
- All cards are dealt between you and the computer. Opening pairs of equal rank are removed automatically.
- On your turn choose one face-down card from the computer’s hand.
- A new matching pair is removed automatically. The computer then draws one card from your shuffled face-down hand.
- The round ends when only the unpaired queen remains. The holder of that queen loses.
Keyboard and screen controls
Take a moment to check the current turn. Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. Try the rule on the board, then read the next instruction.
Follow the example
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen.
Watch out for this
The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play. Start a new round when you are ready to try again.
A few questions answered
For this game, what is the aim of Old Maid?
Make matching-rank pairs and avoid being the player left with the last queen. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
When I start, how do the controls work?
Tap one of the face-down cards marked with a question mark. Your remaining unpaired cards are shown below. The controls work with mouse or touch.
For this game, can you show an example?
If you hold 6♣ and draw 6♥, both cards leave your hand as a pair. A queen can also pair with another queen. No download or player account is required.
For this game, which mistake should I avoid?
The last queen is not always the queen first seen in your hand; queens can be exchanged and paired during play. No download or player account is required.
On this page, what rules and limits are used here?
Two-player free game. Pairs are identified by rank, regardless of suit. Computer choices do not inspect the face-down card values. No download or player account is required.
For this game, how many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
For this game, which card is removed before dealing?
The queen of diamonds, leaving an odd number of queens in the deck. The game is played locally in your browser.
Do I remove pairs myself?
No. Equal-rank pairs are removed automatically after the deal and after each draw. Scores here do not represent cash or prizes.
When I start, can two queens form a pair?
Yes. There are three queens in the 51-card deck, so one queen eventually remains unmatched. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
During a round, does the computer choose by looking at my hidden cards?
Its draw chooses a face-down position, not a card value. The controls work with mouse or touch.